Extension-seat



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

A. MONAUGHTON. EXTENSION SEAT.

No. 558,201. Patented Apr. 14, 1,896.

Annnzw BGRANAMPHOTOLH'HU. WASHINGTON. d r:

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. MQNAUGHTON.

EXTENSION SEAT. No. 558,201.

Patented Apr. 14

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MGNAUGIITON,

OF VAUKESIIA, \VISCONSTN.

EXTENSION-S EAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,201 dated April 14, 1896.

Application filed June 1'7, 1895.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MC- NAUGHTON, of VVaukesha, in the county of \Vaukesha and State of Wisconsin, have in-v vented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension-Seats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will en- ,able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in extension-seats The object of the invention is to provide an improved extensionseat more particularly adapted for use in connection with churchpews, but which is more generally adaptable for use as a seat in connection with various supports.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pew or like seat with a sliding and folding flexible extension'seat which can be withdrawn under the pew and out of the way when out of use and which can be drawnout in extension of the pew and locked in operative adjustment with its back swung up from its seat portion into proper position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flexible seat extension yieldingl'y held in its normal position out of use by a spring which can be drawn out into operative position against the tension of the spring and held by an automatic look, so that on release of the lock the spring will withdraw the extension.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seat extension with a flexible seat and back capable of being folded one on the other and drawn together under the seat proper by means of a spring-actuated roller.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts more fully and particularly pointed out and set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a church-pew provided with the improved extension. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view with the extension drawn out. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the device in the position shown in Fig. 2. Fig. lis an Serial No. 553,114. (No model.)

end view with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, with the spring-actuated roller in section to show the spring therein. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the supporting-slide. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6, Fig. 4.

In the drawings, a is a pew or seat having the vertical supporting leg or standard I) at one end located inwardly a distance from the the extremity of the pew usually occupied by the ordinary end. At its upper end this standard I) has the slideways or guides b.

The ordinary end standard 0 is removable and not directly secured to the end of the pew, as usual, but is formed to fit beneath the pew end, and is secured to the outer downturned ends 01 d. of aslide d, arranged longitudinally beneath the pew-seat and passing through said guide I with a cross-bar d at its inner end inwardly from said guide and a transverse roller 61 at its front end a slight distance inwardly from the slide end 0.

e is a spring-stop secured to the underside of the pew and formed to spring over said cross-bar 61 when the slide is pulled out its full stroke and hold the slide against inward movement until released by means such as hereinafter referred to.

The sliding end support 0 usually has a handle, such as c, by means of which it can be easily drawn out, and a cross-bar c at its lower end, on which a rotary spring-drum c is mounted to turn. A spring 0 is coiled around the rod and secured to the rod and drum, so as to constantly tend to rotate the drum in one direction. This drum has the cord 6 secured thereto at its lower end.

f is the seat portion of the extension, and g is the swinging back. Both are formed of slats arranged close together and secured on flexible strips, the strips of the back being, preferably, elastic. The back is hinged to the seat, so as to fold down on the seat, with the joint so formed that the backward movement of the back is limited, as shown in Fig. 4.

h are friction-springs bearing on the joints and arranged to hold the back down to the seat when folded thereon.

The inner end of the flexible seatissecured to the outer end of the pew-seat, while the cord or connection 6 is secured to the outer end of the flexible seat, so that the constant tendency of the spring-drum is to wind the cord thereon and draw the seat with the back thereon down at the inner side of the movable end support and over the roller of the support and pull the slide in under the pewseat, as shown in Fig. 1., with the sliding end support 0 in its normal position beneath the pew end.

When it is desired to use the extension, the sliding end 0 is pulled out, carrying out the slide and causing the flexible seat to draw up around the roller and stretch out from the pew end in the slide, and thereby unwinding the cord 6 from the drum and against the tension thereof. When the slide reaches its limit of outward movement, the spring-catch locks the slide against pulling back under the tension of the spring. The back can then be swung up and the seat is ready for occupancy.

It will be observed that the flexible seat and back travel together over the roller from the inoperative vertical position at the inner side of the sliding end to the operative horizontal position.

In order to enable the sexton of an auditorium containing a large number of pews provided with this improvement to automatically release them all and permit their return to the closed position, a long rock-shaftj is arranged beneath all the pews in a line, one in front of the other, provided with a handle j at a suitable point and with short lateral arms 7' beneath each pew, connected by cords j with the respective spring-catches, so that a turn of the handle will release all of the catches and permit the return of all the seats by their spring-drums after the backs have been turned down.

This seat is adapted for use in other connections than here disclosed, a support for the inner end of the slide being provided and a catch or means to hold the seat extended against the tension of the spring-drum.

I do not limit myself to locating the springdrum on the slide-support.

It is evident that various slight changes might be made in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth, but consider myself entitled to all such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An extension-seat comprising a Vertical sliding standard, ahorizontal support extending therefrom, and arranged to be slidably confined to a seat or other support, the flexible seat-bottom arranged to have its outer end secured to such seat, and a spring controlling said seat and arranged to normally draw the same Vertically at the inner side of said standard and to draw the standard up to said seat, substantially as described.

2. A seat in combination with a sliding support confined thereto, a seat-bottom formed of slats secured to flexible strips, a back similarly formed and hinged to the seat-bottom so that the back can fold onto the seat, and a spring connected to said bottom and yieldingly holding the support up to the seat and out of operative position and so that when drawn out the seat-bottom will be stretched in continuation of the seat' and the back can be swung up, substantially as described.

A pew, in combination with a slide ar ranged beneath one end thereof and provided with a support at its outer end, a springdrum, and a flexible seat connected to and controlled by the drum and drawn out to operative position by the slide, substantially as described.

4. A seat or support, in combination with a horizontally-arranged slide having a support and roller at its outer end, a spring-drum on the support beneath the roller, a flexible seat secured to the seat proper at one end and at its other end connected to the drum, and a spring-catch to hold the slide in operative position, substantially as described.

5. A pew, in combination with a sliding seat, a spring connected to the seat and yield ingly holding the same at its limit of movement in one direction a catch to hold the seat in operative position against the tension of the spring, and means, substantially as described to release the catch and permit the seat to automatically return to its normal position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER lll'CNAUGll'lON.

Witnesses L. WV. ROBELLARD, A. J. SCHUMACHER. 

